The Top 10 S&P 500 Dividend Stocks for May

These stocks still have impressive yields despite market highs

#10: Health Care REIT (HCN)

HCN Dividend Yield: 4.94%

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are required to pay out most of their earnings as dividends in exchange for certain tax benefits, which is why so many of them make lists of top dividend stocks. With a consistently high dividend yield, Health Care REIT (HCN) has become a staple of this list of dividend stocks.

HCN enjoys a solid portfolio of senior housing, long-term care and medical office facilities, and operations are currently humming along. For the most recent quarter, HCN delivered a beat-and-raise quarter. HCN stock is up 20% for the year-to-date, beating the broader market by 18 percentage points.